wedgylx

I'm literally going to buy them right now. my bit area is lower around that 3/4/5 eyelet. anyone willing to post a pic for me if I send it over? I don't have it posted up on a URL

So a few items...the CCM's I tried really weren't a ton better than the Bauers when doing the pencil test. I was surprised, the guy sizing me wasn't. He said even the CCM's seem to be coming out a little more shallow than they used to be "back in the day". He didn't have a ton of advice for me other than I could try replacing the tongue on my old boots since they broke down a bit. Then I showed him the 7.5 Bauers I had...he grabbed the sizing tool and had me pop my foot in there..... He smiled and said "if you walked in today to buy new skates, I'd definitely recommend the 7.5 for you...." I'm not sure what everyone's opinion is - but he said those laser sizing tools Bauer and some other companies use tend to suggest what he called a "pro fit" which is essentially toenails almost scraping against the toe (which is how my 6.5 supremes fit). He said for the vast majority of people, its not the most comfortable fit. He also mentioned that as I get into a smaller boot, I'm going to have less space for the ankle also (makes sense right?). So we left it at me trying these Vapors before I do anything else. I asked him if he could make me lace extenders, he said yeah but they it would cost the same and I'm swamped so you should just buy them from greatsaves…. And then I promptly got the flu so I missed both of my games this week. I'll be trying them out next week and will report back.

can't agree enough. I hate the tacky sticks, especially since I take faceoffs. I feel like I can reposition my hands so much quicker with matte

never heard of them maybe ill check them out next time

Just finally upgraded after taking a real rough shot to the knee a few weeks ago. I had been using some old Bauer Supreme's from when I was a kid, they were only 13" and I definitely am a 14-15, so even when taped sometimes they would drop a bit. Took an attempted ice off the inside knee, direct on bone - was good incentive to go out and buy something new! So anyways, I got lucky and got a 2 year old (but never used, tags still on) pair of Bauer Nexus 1N for $40 Overall these are wicked comfortable and definitely have a better/more robust strapping system than the old ones I replaced - the only thing I DISLIKE about them? The shin surface is sort of strangly angular - yes probably good for aerodynamics but it makes any time you do fall to the knees akward as it almost feels like my legs want to slide outward from under me. Took a couple of weeks of getting used to, but for the comfort (and price) I still really like them. I went up to 14" and they have some pads above the knee you can push up or down to modify for sizing/comfort. Not sure how this year's model compares to these but they seem similar just different style/color

I'm going to try some CCM's Sunday and see what this guy recommends. He's pretty well known in my area, so much so I had to book an appointment with him. I'm going to see his opinion and ultimately give the Vapors a try before I buy anything new. If he can make me a set of lace extenders and I can make the $1000 boots work for me, I can't imagine them being worse than what I'm currently using. I wish it wasn't such a pain in the neck to post images here, i'd post a few pics to show what I'm working with

I switched to the allblackhockeysticks a while ago and never looked back https://allblackhockeysticks.com/ LIke $100 shipped to the door but they have so many patterns/flex options and you can get tacky or smooth grip. I think they are much better than the comparable priced sticks anywhere else (far better than the entry-level sticks you'd by at the local store). The main reason I like them though is they last far longer than the other sticks I've used and still remain light. Obviously after a while you're going to take toe damage and the blade will start to go, and I do think the sticks lose "whip" after a while - but (knock on wood) I haven't actually BROKEN an ABHS yet even though I play center (sr league but the sticks still take a beating)

I use the bungas already and it’s usually perfect - but for some reason at least once a season or so they flare back up and then I have to go back to damage control with the pipe insulation... bringing both of my pairs of skates Sunday to the best shop around to see if they recommend I stick with them or get something new

I just use the footbeds that came with the skates so I imagine they are pretty basic/thin. Like I mentioned, I'm heading to the best spot in our area for skates Sunday so I'm looking forward to getting their advice. They have done work in the past for all the local Boston colleges and for the Bruins from what I understand. They also do custom everything for both hockey and figure skating The powerfoot is a good idea, the 7.5 honestly don't feel THAT much bigger than the 6.5 but maybe because the vapors have a thinner bed.

So I tried the nexus on briefly and while it looks like my ankle would pass the pencil test on those I thought the boot itself was just too wide. The footbed had me feeling like I was swimming. i'm going to try on some other brands Sunday to see if there's a better match but if I could modify my existing boots a bit and save the money that would be great. Ultimately if I need new skates again to feel better its worth it I got the Bauer 3D scan and they say the best boot for me is the one I have, size 6.5 supremes. I've only tried Bauer so far because the shop I go to is actually owned by Bauer and its all they carry - but I have an appointment Sunday at 3pm with a local skate repair shop known for custom skates and the best fittings in the area. They carry everything so I'm hopeful I find a better fit. I heard CCM were deeper and I loved the Super Tacks growing up... Thanks, that's the plan Sunday I thought so too but I think its just how the Bauer's run. The funny thing is with shoes im a 9, sometimes 9.5 depending on the brand so I was shocked they recommended 6.5 also. My friend wears a 8.5 and is in a 6 Bauer Vapor so I guess its pretty standard now.

Hi guys - thanks for your patience as I know this is a common question but I have some specific questions to ask about my equipment. I'll go bullets to make this easier Youth to ~27 years old Never had any lace bite issues, as a matter of fact I had never even heard of lace bit Age ~27, Bought pair of new Bauer Vapors Treated myself to a new pair of skates. I had a pair of Bauer Vapors I really liked and decided to just get a new pair of those. Got professionally fitted/sized, got them baked and everything felt great At some point I developed severe lace bite on BOTH ankles. It got to the point where the lumps were the size of ping-pong balls on both legs but more severe on the left ankle. I tried the gel stick-on pads, didn't help at all. I got Bunga pads - those helped a bit. After only 2 seasons I decided these weren't the boot for me and went back to the Bauer store to get a new pair Age ~29 - Bought a new pair of Bauer Supremes I had taken some time off and the bite went down. The skate guy told me the vapors were more narrow and shallow than before and probably caused my bite, and I should get the supremes since they have a deeper boot. I didn't know about the pencil test then, but I definitely fail the pencil test in my supremes. Not surprisignly, the lace bite came back with a vengence. I found the tip about making forsberg pads from insulation and started that - it helps the lace bite a lot but I hate the way it feels in my skates and I feel like my ankle stability is affected negatively. Additionally, I only get 1 use of the pad - I play twice a week so have to make 4 pads a week which is annoying. When I use the insulation for 4-6 weeks my lump will shrink way smaller and feel much better and usually I can stop using them and just use bunga pads/gel inserts at this point. It feels better but inevitably the bite comes back and I have to use the insulation forsberg pads again So this year the bite has been a bitch - I'm a size 6.5 skate 9 shoe. I decided to go back to bauer and try a new set - I fail the pencil test in both vapor and supreme in 6.5 and the nexus felt too wide for my feet. I mentioned the issue to my boss who's son plays prep school and he came in with a brand new pair of Bauer 1X Vapors that he bought on clearance for $700 (usually $1000 skates) but were too big for his son. Here's where it gets interesting - the skates he gave me are 7.5 so a full size larger than what I use BUT I can (barely) pass the pencil test in them. I don't terribly mind a little room in the toe, so I brought them to the skate shop to get sharpened. The guy there knows my issues - he said listen I know its tempting to use these high end boots but wearing a size too large for you is only going to make the issue worse. What are everyone's thoughts? Should I just get the new skates sharpened and hit stick practice a couple of times to see how it goes? Or do you think the skate guy is right - I'll have more problems from the larger boot and should stick with the 6.5? I could buy the lace extenders everyone talks about and see if those make my existing surpremes (which are in good shape) feel better? I ordered some high-end closed-cell padding online to cut some Forsberg pads from that so they are at least re-usable.